At St. Keverne about the year 1496
lived a blacksmith (An Gof) named Michael Joseph.
He appears to have been born in the place and is
described by an historian as “a notable
prating fellow who by thrusting himself forward on
every occasion, and being loudest in every
complaint against the government, acquired an
authority among these simple people, and was ready
to lead them to any desperate enterprise".

Thomas Flammock also, a lawyer, and a descendant of an
ancient and wealthy family, living at Bocarne near
Bodmin - the seat of his ancestors - was considered an
oracle in the neighbourhood. He was very learned in the
Law, and was enraged at a new tax that had been levied
to defray the expences of a Scottish war.

The Cornish knowing the treasure Henry the 7th had
amassed could ill-brook the imposition. They knew it
was unjust, and grudged to pay £2,500 as their
share of the subsidy, and being incited by Flammock and
Joseph Michael they prepared for revolt.

The arrival of the collectors of the Tax was the
signal.

They assembled at Bodmin to the number of 6,000 and
without let from John Basset of Trehidy - the sheriff -
marched under the leadership of Flammock and Joseph
Michael through Cornwall and Devon, and took Taunton
where they slew Provost Perrin, an Officer and eager
commissioner who was collecting the Tax. Thence they
marched on to Wells, where their party was strengthened
by Lord Audley, who was made General. They then passed
to Salisbury, thence to Winchester, and on to Kent
encamping at Blackheath, four miles from London.

By this time the Lords and Commons were gathered in
sufficient strength to meet them and a battle was
fought in which 2,000 of the Cornish and their
upholders were slain, albeit they shot arrows a cloth
yard in length. Goldsmith says that the prisoners who
were pardoned and dismissed were 16,000. Lord Bacon
says the Cornish were a race of men, "stout of
stomach, mighty of body and limb, and that lived hardly
in a barren country".

From William of Worcestor's Itinerary 1478.

In 1202 Richard Flandrenses (supposed to have been of
the Flamank family) was sheriff of Cornwall,

Richard was mayor from 1493 to 1497
John was mayor in 1534.

According to Polydore Vigil M.S. Michael Joseph left a
badge of his trade on the church door of Horwood (near
Bideford). The inhabitants show a piece of iron
fastened to the door which they call Michael
Joseph's badge.

FlammockFrom History of Cornwall.
Hitchins and Drew. page 480.

Towards the conclusion of the 15th Century, Henry VII
was engaged with some unpleasant disturbances with the
Scots. This was made by him an ostensible pretext for
obtaining a vote of parliament to aid him with
pecuniary supplies in order to reduce them to
submission. The Cornish who had not yet wholly lost
that spirit of daring independence which their British
forefathers had submitted to them were the first to
enveigh against the Tax,

The arrival of the collectors was for them a signal of
revolt, for which they had previously prepared. The
report of the collectors was that they found in
Cornwall a big stout hardy race of men tumultuously
assembled, "and inflamed by one Thomas Flammock a
gentleman, and Michael Joseph, said to have been born
in St. Keverne, a Blacksmith or farrier who seemed
ready to lead them on to any desperate enterprise.
Flammock was a descendant of an ancient and wealthy
family, being as Holinshed said, "learned in the
law of the realm". He persuaded the people that
the resistance he waged was not only legal, but
meritorious, and would ensure those engaged in it the
praise of their countrymen and veneration of posterity-

The primary motive by which Joseph professed to be
actuated was ambition. He hoped to immortalise his name
by is personal exploits, and to transmit it to
posterity with those laurels that bloom around,
departed names. This was the import of his own
declaration! when he was about to expiate his crimes by
the forfeiture of his life.

Hals asserts that the real design of this insurrection
was, to depose King Henry, and set up Edmund de la
Pole, Earl of Suffolk sister's son to Ed. III and
the true heir male of the house of York. The party at
first amounted to 3,000 hut soon increased to 6,000.
From Bodmin they inarched to Launceston, Their arms
were chiefly bows and arrows - the latter full three
feet long, Those who could not procure these carried
such tools as they had been accustomed to use in their
respective profession. Proceeding onwards through Devon
and Somerset they arrived at Taunton, where finding a
Commissioner of the odious Tax they put him to death
(Provist Perrin).

At Wells they were joined by Lord Audley a nobleman of
ancient family whom they made General. At Blackheath
they were attacked by Lord Daubery - the king's
General. The conflict was severe and decisive. The
Cornish army was overthrown with the loss of 2,000 men.
The king lost only 500. The fugitives after wandering
up and down for some time threw down their arms and
begged for mercy. To those who were thought to have
been deluded, the Royal Clemency was extended, but for
all who were found to be either instigators or
abettors, nothing but unmitigated punishment remained.

Lord Audley was first committed to Newgate, and from
thence removed to Tower Hill (in his coat of armour
painted on paper reversed and torn) where he was
beheaded. Flammock, and Joseph were hung drawn and
quartered, and their heads and quarters hung up in
various parts of London. The event took place according
to Hals in 1496 some say 1497. Goldsmith observes that
the prisoners who were pardoned and dismissed amounted
to 16,000 men.

1536 REBELLION, CARPYSSACKE

In Sep. 1536 Sir John Tregonwell, the royal visitor
writing from Penryn in Cornwall, reported that the
country was as quiet and true to the king as any shire
in the realm, and that the people were marvellously
pleased that the king had allowed the 'festum
loci' of every church to be kept holy at
Cromwell's intercession. In April of the next year,
however, Sir William Godolphin (Godolphan) informed
Cromwell of an occurence which had the effect of making
the government profoundly uneasy. The letter has been
misdated a year by Froude who connects it with the so
called Exeter conspiracy.

A certain Carpyssacke, a fisherman of St.Keverne, a
parish which had been notorious in the 1497 rebellion,
had commissioned a painter for a banner, in which they
would have a picture of Christ with His wounds abroad
and a banner in His hand, our lady in the one side
holding her breast in her hand, St.John the Baptist in
the other side, the king's grace and the queen
kneeling and all the commonality kneeling with
scripture above their heads, making their petition to
the picture of Christ that it would please the
king's grace that they might have their holidays!
Carpyssacke also said that he and John Treglosacke had
been at Harnell beside Southampton, selling their fish,
and on being asked why they had not?, when the
'Northern' men did, replied that they had sworn
before a book to help them and had bought two hundred
jerkins, and that they would carry the banner on Pardon
Monday and show it among the people.

Godolphin had made secret enquiry about the proposed
stirring and would take care to stop it, for the county
was in a marvellous good quiet. He begged Cromwell,
however, to move the king that they might hold the day
of the head saint of their church. On the 3rd May
Godolphin assured Cromwell that he would follow his
directions and arrest Carpyssacke when he returned from
Southampton, but again added ”If you would move
the King that they might have their holidays it would
be a great stay.” He said Sir Piers Edgecumbe had
been through the shire in accordance with the
king's letter and asserted that there was no shire
in the realm more conformable to be ordered further.
The sheriff, Sir John Charmond, and the justice
declared they had no authority to enquire for high
treason, and Godolphin accordingly begged Cromwell to
speak to the said justice that the traitor Carpyssacke
might be hanged in chains at Helston.

On 28th August Godolphin again reported that owing to
the plague no assize had been kept at Launceston
whereby Carpyssacke should be judged and put to
execution! The lord chief justice on being reprimanded,
explained to Cromwell that the gentlemen of the county
and the sheriff of Cornwall had asked the assize to be
adjourned as they were dying fast at Launceston.

Kiltor

Robert Rawe or Rowe 1547

Kiltor in this parish, which lies between St. Keverne
and Coverack was the birthplace of the noted Kiltor who
was connected with the Cornish Rebellion in 1549.

He was a specimen of the sturdy strength and courage
that St. Keverne has at times sent into the outside
world. Courage bred in the clear air of the rocky
cliffs and wild breazes from the sea. He must also have
had great physical strength for in Carey's Survey
(page 177) we are told that "for activity one
Kiltor, committed to Launceston Gaol, for the last
Cornish Commotion (1548) lying there on the Castle
Green, on his back, threw a stone of some pounds weight
over that tower top, (and that I assure you is no low
one) which leadeth to the Park"!

Kiltor, like thousands of his fellow countrymen was
smarting under the violent reformation methods of the
previous reign. The dissolution of the Monastries was
very unpopular for they had been the great mainstay of
the poor, and had done all that the poor-law does now,
and more. The monks were easy Landlords and kind
neighbours. They kept open house. The sudden transfer
of the enormous estates of the monastries to new
holders had given rise to much distress, and heavily
increased rents.

Under the guise of religion the courtiers of Henry 8th
and Edward VI gorged themselves with the spoils of the
Church; the Lands of the Abbeys; the property of the
Guilds; the bells, and in many cases even the sacred
vessels had been seized by this crew of spoilers, to
say nothing of the countless treasures of Art and
Learning.

The Bodmin Manumissions are almost the only exception.
Even Bale, an enemy of the monks writes "To
destroy all without consideration, is, and will be unto
England for ever a most horrible infamy. Even the most
notable works of the most excellent writers were not
spared to posterity.

Opportunities for the improvement of men were wantonly
thrown away, with a barbarity worthy only of savage
races, in virtue of which was a terrible destruction of
carved stone work in reredoes and screen and pillar
conspicuous in many of our churches today.

During the short reign of Edward the sixth no less than
5 millions of our money had been taken by the wholesale
confiscation of endowments and from the destruction of
religious houses countless shrines, and hospitals.

The reformation had taken away a number of schools
maintained by religious orders, and England found
herself in spiritual and intellectual destitution.
All teaching of divinity ceased at the Universities.
The libraries were in part scattered or burnt, and
Ecclesiastical order was almost at an end. Politics
were dying down into the squabbles of a knot of nobles
over the spoils of the Church.

This exasperated Cornishmen beyond measure, for their
profound love for their princely Churches had grown
with years, and to see them thus desecrated was more
than they could bear. "In one church in
Portsmouth" says Strype "the image of Christ
crucified was contemptuously used, one eye bored out
and the side pierced. The ribbald insult to the old
religion and the roughness of the Commissioners drove
the whole monastic body to despair".

The Commissioner sent to Helston was William Body,
lessee of the Archdeaconry of Cornwall. As he was in
the act of smashing an image in the Church there,
Kiltor, late priest of St. Keverne stabbed him in the
back with a knife, of which he instantly died. He was
accompanied by Martin Jeffery, late Vicar of St.
Keverne, they were both taken to London, tried at
Westminster Hall, found guilty of murder, and executed
with several others at Smithfield.

Then the Cornish people flocked together in a
tumultuous manner though the justices of the peace
apprehended several of them and sent them to jail, yet
they could not with all their power suppress the growth
of the insurrection,

Humphry Arundel, Governor of St. Michael's Mount
openly sided with them.
For Captains, Majors, and Colonels the following men
were chosen,

John Rosogan
James Rosogan
Will Winslade, of Tregarrick, whose family were for
generations Knights of the White Spur.
John Payne of St. Ives.
Robert Bochym of Bochym, and his brother.
Thomas Underhill
John Salmon
William Segar and others, together with several
Priests, Rectors, Vicars and Curates, as

John Thompson
Roger Barret
John Wool cock
William Asa
James Mourton
John Barrow
Richard Bennet, and others

The following are the names of St. Keverne men as
they appear in the Indictment, in 1549.

The latter is the man who fought in 1536 rebellion with
Carpysacke and Treglosack of St. Keverne,

John Piers (seaman)
Edmund Irrishe (smith)

John Payne, the Mayor of St. Ives, also joined, and
Quarme,(sic) besides numbers of priests and dissolved
collegiates. As they marched carrying their crucifix,
something of the spirit of the next Century when
Cornishmen cried out "And shall Trelawny die, then
20,000 Cornishmen shall know the reason why" burst
into flame !

Instead of pressing forward on London Arundel, in an
evil hour resolved on a Siege, the Siege of Exeter, So
stoutly did the Cornish hold their ground they
astonished even well trained soldiers. Not succeeding
at first they began undermining the city walls, and
burnt the gates. However the citizens resisted with
counter mines and the fight became desperate.

For six weeks the Cornish besieged the town until the
famine was so sore, that the people were fain to eat
horse-flesh, and to make bread of bran, bound with
cloths, otherwise it would not hold together, and the
Cornish from without did taunt them saying they would
shortly measure all their silks and satins by the
length of their bows. After much hot encounter with the
armies of Lord Grey and Lord Russel, the Cornish again
rallied their forces, but were set on again by the
King's Army, which was composed of some German
Troops, whom the Government had hired as a standing
Army.

At Honiton a drawn battle was fought - the memorable
battle of "St. Mary Clyst". The Cornish
fought valiantly, and even took the Royal Canon, but
were at last defeated, and 4,000 men were slain, the
rest fled.

John Payne, Mayor of St. Ives and Master Bowyer, Mayor
of Bodmin were hanged, Jonn Vinslade, Esq., also
suffered death, and his estates were forfeited.

His son led a wandering life, going to gentlemen's
houses with his harp where by his active qualities he
was called "Sir Tristram"

1547 - 1548 From Acts of The Privy Council
Page 554.

"To the Commissioneres in Cornewall to procead
with as convenient speede (sic)

as might be to the executiones of the traitores there,
as they tendred the King's Majeste's pleasure;
albeit some of them, the number appointed to be
executed there was over greate, yet they were required
to proceed to the execution of his Majestie's
commandmente without delay, and to the intente they
might be certayne of the nombre and persones appointed
to suffer and in what places the same should be
executed".

1547. Page 555.
Letters to Sir William Godolphin.
Sir John Milton thanking them for their paines taken in
appeasing the tumulteous assembly.

1549.
Amongst the Domestic Papers of Edward 6th is one still
preserved. An answer of King Edward to the rebels of
Devon and Cornwall, in reply to their supplication for
redress of grievences. It is supposed to have been
drawn up by Bishop Cranmer July 8 1549.

On June 24 1549 Instructions were given to Lord Russell
(Lord Privy Seal) for the Government of the Western
Counties of Devon and Cornwall for suppressing the
disaffection and commotion there.

From Acts of the Privy Council, page 222,
A letter to Justice of Assize in Cornewale for the
giving of order to staye certain accions waeged against
certein persons rebellours in Cornewels whose pardon
were Given by the Lord Privy Seale by (sic) Harry
Tredennyck, William Tredennyck, William Viell, Robert
Whettell, Thomas Calwin and others.

The Gear Rout 1640From The Circle edited by Penalune, Helston
1819.

"At the time of the rebellion in the reign of
Charles I a number of men under the command of Mr.
Bogans of Treleague in St. Keverne, who had accepted a
commission from Charles I posted themselves in a most
advantageous situation at Gear in Mawgan with an
apparent detinnination of defending that important
pass.

But the parliament troops advancing, and shewing
themselves in much greater force than was expected,
Major Bogan's men deserted him without coming to
action. Some betook themselves to The Dinas, the
greater part dispersed and Major Bogans himself fled to
Kilters Cave in this parish, and concealed himself in a
cave in the rocks.

This event is still remembered in Meneage by the name
of The Gear Rout. Charles I.

Guizot in his History of the English Revolution points
out how terribly the Cornish peasants hammered the
Parliamentarians. "If the English" says he
"had fought as well for Charles I as the
Cornishmen the fate of the Civil War would have been
otherwise". Charles recognized their loyalty and
sent a letter to those who fought so bravely for him.

See Pedigree of Sandys Lakes History.
Three sons engaged on the King's Side.
St. Anthony. Charles I.

Near the Church is the earthwork known as Castle Dinas
where Sir Richard Vyvyan with 26 guns and a
considerable body of men maintained a stout resistance
against the Parliamentary soldiers in 1646. It is
believed to have been the last stronghold in Cornwall
that held out except St. Michael's Mount and
Pendennis.

The Royalist troops were probably driven back through
Roswick where small Canon balls have been found, past
the Deadman where there are remains of earthworks and
where tradition says many bodies be buried and down to
St. Anthony.

For the story of Sir John Arundell of Trerice, the aged
commander of Pendennis Castle who would not surrender -
see Thurston Peter's History,